Youth PCC

[mm23292]

I cannot fathom how the Kent PCC can even begin to make allowances for the dreadful social media postings of her new young recruit, as if the fact they were made when she was 15, makes them any less dreadful than if they were made by an adult. The simple fact is that whatever is posted on these sites by a teenager or anyone else for that matter, wholly and accurately reflects their own mentality, and the only thing taken out of context, is the weak argument in her defence, that young people say these things on twitter and the like, without realising the consequences. Consequence is irrelevant when people express themselves in this way, and I am shocked that this young lady is held to be someone worthy of public payment! I have a young teenage daughter, and she would never conduct herself in this way, in person, or on twitter! What do others think?

[scary mum]

I think that this is what teenagers "do" (or at least some of them!). I'm not excusing it, just stating a fact. However, in this day and age, you might think that the people appointing her might check these things first, or that she might have the sense to delete them before applying for the post.

[Mindset]

I so wish I shared your confidence mm. Conversely, I'm fairly sure that my children will all represent themselves online in a way that doesn't 'wholly and accurately reflect their own mentality.'

In fact, I know they will. People's online behaviour very often doesn't reflect their true self. For example, I'm a well balanced, well liked, busy adult. I've never had a child take an eleven plus exam, nor am I likely to ever have one. Yet I find myself checking into this forum more often than I'd care to admit. Why? Because I'm intrigued with a part of the world out there, one that I'm not a part of.

If I were a 13 year old girl, perhaps short of confidence, perhaps wanting to fit in, I might find myself saying things that weren't truly me. I certainly would be tempted to visit sites where I knew people were talking, perhaps about me.

I don't know what this girl has said online in the past, or anything much about her. I do know that as a parent I'll do everything I can to make sure that my children feel secure enough in the real world to not have to misrepresent themselves online, and know the implications of their digital footprint for the future. Safe in the knowledge that they will make mistakes. M

[mm23292]

But that is what I don't understand, to say that this is what teenager's 'do', which is pretty much the excuse that was given by her employer, is just not right. Foul mouthed, racist, extremely ignorant teenagers, perhaps yes, but to make a generalisation that suggests that this is how teenagers of today engage for a bit of recreational online fun, is just plain wrong. My daughter and her young teenage friends and my teenage nieces & nephews were all shocked by what this girl has written, and the way in which they were written, peppered with expletives like it is somehow the new English norm, and they are even more shocked, that this is somebody held fit to hold public office! What a great role model for the youth of today

[mm23292]

I totally agree with what you say mindset, of course the online medium can give children a platform to be somebody they are perhaps not quite in reality, but surely that should never be to the complete degeneration of the core values and principles that we as parents strive to instil in them? It is one thing to online chat with exaggerated confidence and teenage swagger..it is completely another to talk in the foul mouthed language of this young girl, complete with racist references and threats of violence thrown in! And I'm sorry, but if as parents we can't be sure that our children are not engaging in this way, something has got to be wrong.

[Samlet]

I'm a well balanced, well liked, busy adult. I've never had a child take an eleven plus exam, nor am I likely to ever have one. Yet I find myself checking into this forum more often than I'd care to admit. M

Hmm... surely, you're not suggesting that those on this forum are not well balanced?

[Mindset]

And I'm sorry, but if as parents we can't be sure that our children are not engaging in this way, something has got to be wrong.

Quite, I agree. And for this reason I'm hugely controlling as to what access my children have to these sites, whilst knowing that one day I will no longer have the same control, so teaching them to behave well.

The simple maxim for me is 'if you wouldn't want your parent/head of year to read it, don't write it.' As a teacher, the very first thing a young person says when you challenge them for unacceptable online postings is 'are you going to show my Mum?' They know that they are writing things which present themselves in a bad light, but for various reasons they still do it. Often 'because the more outrageous you are, the more likes/follows/retweets you get. That makes you more popular.'

It's a murky world, and sadly lovely children are often sinking in it. M

[mike1880]

What else did anyone expect when they decided to listen to the voice of yoof, innit? The whole point about young people is that their opinions are often uninformed and unwise. I still do stupid things occasionally and I have a lot more life experience. Blame the adults imho, as usual, for creating the position in the first place.

[Looking for help]

I always love that people are so trusting of their children.

I have spent my life assuming my kids are the ones in the wrong and that they would always do the worst thing. I find this a great place to start, then you're never disappointed

Seriously though , it's only in the last year or so that tweeting and social mediating (if you will) have attracted such attention. I think they've changed the law slightly recently so that it wasn't necessarily such a big deal if somebody said something albeit in public to another via facebook/twitter. Otherwise, I'm afraid that the courts would become very congested with crimes relating to the iternet.

As a consequence of some high profile cases, like the man who was refused access to the USA because he said something on twitter about hating California or some such nonsense, has at least brought people's attention to the fact that if you put something in writing on the itnernet it is there ad infinitum, and everybody can take offence ad infinitum. I expect this girl when she did her tweeting had no idea somebody would dredge them up some years later.

I'm not excusing what she said/wrote (I have no idea, actually, nor do I want to know), but I have seen some outrageous things written by adults on facebook and twitter, and wonder how they get away with them, it's not all that surprising that this girl has done similar things.

I agree with Mike, what a complete waste of a time creating a job like this for a 17 year old.

[Looking for help]

She has resigned now

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22083032